- Safety
- 5
- of 5 stars
- Recalls
- 2
- on record
- MPG
- 30
- combined
Open recalls on record
2 safety recalls. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer — check the VIN before you buy.
Vehicle Summary
2016 Chevrolet Sonic
Before You Buy
Safety record at a glance
- Recall campaigns
- 2
- Owner complaints
- 48
- Complaints citing a crash
- 8
These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalized by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.
2 Recalls on Record
These recalls have been issued by the manufacturer. Contact any authorized dealer to verify they have been completed — repairs are free.
Safety recalls
2 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.
- 16V422000high
Electrical issue
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Chevrolet Sonic and Trax, and 2013-2015 Spark vehicles equipped with a Bring Your Own Media radio. The affected radios may fail to provide an audible warning chime when the driver fails to fasten their seatbelt or if the driver leaves the key in the ignition. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 208 "Occupant Crash Protection" and 114 "Theft Protection."
Consequence
Without audible indicators, the driver may not fasten their seatbelt, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the radio software, free of charge. The recall began on July 22, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 45340.
- 16V257000low
Electrical issue
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Chevrolet Sonic and Trax vehicles and 2013-2015 Chevrolet Spark vehicles equipped with a Bring Your Own Media radio. The affected radios may fail to provide an audible warning chime when the driver, after turning off the ignition and leaving the key in the cylinder, waits 10 minutes or longer to open the door. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114 "Theft Protection."
Consequence
Without audible indicators, the driver may leave the key in the ignition, increasing the risk of theft.
Full campaign recordRemedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the radio software, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 17130.
NHTSA crash-test ratings
NCAP star ratings and the underlying test breakdown for the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic.
Frontal crash
- Driver
- 5 / 5
- Passenger
- 5 / 5
Side crash
- Driver
- 5 / 5
- Passenger
- 5 / 5
- Side pole
- 5 / 5
Rollover
- Rollover risk
- 12.6%
- Dynamic tip
- No Tip
Driver-assistance technologies
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- Optional
- Lane departure warning
- Optional
What the ratings mean
NHTSA gives the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic 5 out of 5 stars overall, level with the 5-star median for the 11 comparable 2016 vehicles NHTSA rated in this class.
NHTSA published results for every NCAP test in this program, so the overall star rating rests on a complete set of crash and rollover results.
NHTSA's dynamic test put this vehicle's rollover probability at 12.6% in a single-vehicle crash — the figure behind the rollover star rating, published here because the star alone hides how wide each band is.
Fuel economy & emissions
EPA figures for the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic, with tailpipe CO₂ and class context.
27
City
36
Hwy
30
Comb
- Annual fuel cost
- $2,050
- Tailpipe CO₂
- 295 g/mi
How this compares
At 30 MPG combined, the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic ranks 4th of 17 compact cars EPA rated for 2016 — 2 MPG better than the 28 MPG median for that group.
That places it a little above the middle of its class. Fuel cost is close enough to its rivals that other running costs will probably matter more.
EPA puts annual fuel spend at about $2,050, $250 less than the $2,300 typical for the class. Over five years at 15,000 miles a year that is roughly $10,250, a $1,250 difference against a class-median vehicle.
Tailpipe CO₂ is 295 grams per mile — about 4.4 metric tons over 15,000 miles of driving.
Consumer complaints
48 owner reports filed with NHTSA.
- 48
- Total
- 8
- Crashes
- 1
- Fires
- 6
- Injuries
Most reported components
- ENGINE15
- AIR BAGS8
- OTHER7
- ELECTRICAL7
- FUEL SYSTEM3
Notable Issues
48 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 6 reports involve injuries. 8 reports involve a crash.
Most reported problems
Safety timeline
Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic, newest first.
- Recall
Without audible indicators, the driver may not fasten their seatbelt, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
- Recall
Without audible indicators, the driver may leave the key in the ignition, increasing the risk of theft.
Dates are the NHTSA report-received date for recalls and the ODI open/close date for investigations. Crash-test ratings are not shown here because the source does not provide a reliable publication date for them.
Specifications & ratings
Specifications
- Body class
- Compact Cars
- Drive type
- Front-Wheel Drive
- Engine
- 1.4L 4-cyl
- Fuel type
- Unknown
- Transmission
- Automatic (S6)
- Seats
- 0
Fuel economy
27
City
36
Hwy
30
Comb
- Annual cost
- $2,050
- Fuel
- Regular Gasoline
NHTSA crash ratings
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
Explore related
Systems recalled
Safety timeline
Full timeline- Recall
Without audible indicators, the driver may not fasten their seatbelt, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
- Recall
Without audible indicators, the driver may leave the key in the ignition, increasing the risk of theft.